Building construction.



- PATENTED SEPT. 22, 1903.

F. W. SPENCER. BUILDING CONSTRUCTION. nrmoyrxox mum an. 15, 1903.

10 MODEL.

' Fraud; wjaelza'er Q #5 m w M g K Du Nu M W m 0 2% m m N v No. 739,737.

UNITED STATES Zlatented September 22, 1905 PATENT OFFICE.

UILDING CONSTRUCTION.

srnoIrIoArzoN formingpart of Letters Patent No. 739,737, dated September22, 1903.

Application filed hpril 15, 1903 gerial No. 152,747. No model.) 7

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS W. SPENCER, a citizen of the UnitedStates,'a nd a resident of Albuquerque, in the county of Bernalillo andTerritory'of-New Mexico, have invented new and useful Improvements inBuilding Construction, of which the following is a full, clear, andexact description. My invention relates to certain. improvements in theconstruction of building walls or the like, and has particularapplication to tion in such manner that the wall'will be' thoroughlybonded and stiffened against transverse strains, the arrangement of theribs and grooves hereinbefore referred to being such that a thicker wallmay he made 7 from the same blocks as are primarily in block.

tended for constructing a thinner wall-that is to say, that walls ofvarying thickness may be formed without increasing 'the size of the Afurther object of my invention is to provide a building-block whichshall be exceedingly simple in its construction, enabling it to be laidwith ease and facility, and one which will have adaptability to specialcases, as hereinafter described.

With the above-recited objects and others of a similar nature in viewthe invention consists in the construction,combination,and arrangementof parts, as is described in this specification, delineated in theaccompanying drawings, and set forth'in the appended claims.

Referenceis to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one of my improved building-blocks.Fig. 2 is acrosssectional view showing the blocks separated to a certainextent and forming a wider wall with the same size block as shown inFig. 3. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view showing two ofthe blocks placed in position of contact and forming a minimum thicknessof the wall possible with a given size block. Fig. 4. is a perspectiveview of awall formed of my improved blocks. Fig. 5 is a perspective viewof a portion of a wall having a windew-opening formed therein andshowing the arrangement of the blocks to allow for the bevel of thesill. Fig. 6 isa perspective view of a portion of a wall of a building,showing the blocks arrangedto form a vertical fine or passage-way forpipes, electric wires, or the like; and Fig. 7 is a perspective view ofa slightly-modified form of block.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings, the numeral 5 designates thehorizontal or base portion of'one'of my improved building-blocks, suchbuilding block being in crosssection approximately the shape of theletter L, the vertical portion 6 of said block being relatively thickerthan the horizontal portion 5 and is adapted to bear the major portionof the load to be supported. At one endof the block is arranged thetransverse member or lug 7 one-half the thicknessof which projects insuch manner as to receive the open end of the next block in the samecourse when a series of blocks are used to form a wall. The horizontalportion 5;of the block is formed with a rib or bead 8, which extends theentire length thereof and is adapted to engage with and lie in one ofthe grooves or notches 9, formed at the top portion of the end member 7of a subjacent or coinciding block. These two blocks are placed inpositions substantially as shown in Figs. 2 and 3that is,

one of the blocks is inverted and superposed the placing of partitions,joists, and the like.

In Fig. 3 the blocks are shown placed coincident in a position ofcontact and forming the minimum thickness of awall possible with a givensize of block, while in Fig. 2 the blocks are of similar size, shownseparated, to form a wider wall.

In Fig. 4 I have shown a wall formed of blocks laid in the manner abovedescribed, with corner-blocks formed with returned faces one-half thelength of the block 'and made right hand and left for their respectiveplaces.

It will be seen by reference to Fig. at that certain of the blocks arerecessed to form skeleton flanges 11, said blocks being laid in thecourse supporting the joists 12, the hollow space formed by the recessedblocks so laid being filled with concrete or similar material 13, whicheffectively distributes the load over the'wall and adds to the rigidityand strain-resisting power of the structure.-

Awindow-openingin the structure is shown at A in Fig. 5, the sill of thewindow being formed in sections made up of my improved blocks, eachblock having the grooved end memberand longitudinal bead or rib, ashereinbeforedescribed, a portion of the end lug or member being slightlybeveled .to allow for the inclination of the sill. The window-cap 14 isformed of blocks substantially like those described, the members formingthe cap, however, being longer and in some instances higher than theordinary block, according to the load to be supported, the lugs 15 atthe end of the cap having grooves 16 to coincide and having interlockingengagement with the lugs of the adjoining blocks of the course. Ifdesired, the top flange of the cap 14 may be recessed, as shown bydotted lines in Fig. 5, to permit the hollow space to be filled withconcrete or similar material, as shown at 17, thereby furtherstrengthening the lintel. It is to be understood that thesupporting-lug,

such as shown at 7, may be applied to the voussoirs of arches of anytype or style.

In constructing walls or buildings it is often desirable to provide aspace for the passage of wires, pipes, or the like, and in the presentinstance I have shown-in Fig. 6 this recess or space 18 formed bycuttingaway a portion of the base or horizontal member of each block, saidblocks being so laid that the openings are arranged in a vertical line,the blocks of the inner faces being cut in one-half lengths in alternatecourses, those on the left-hand side of the recess having side members19 (see Fig. 6) similar to the side members 7. When the pipes orwiresfas shown at B, have been placed in position, the wall.

may be finished by the facing blocks or bricks 20 being laid in place.

At points where heavy concentrated loads occur the walls may bestrengthened by using the skeleton-flanged blocks shown in Fig. 6,

said blocks being laid to bring the recesses in a vertical line, thehollow spaces being filled with cement as each course is laid. If afurther strengthening or stiffening is necessary, blocks such as areshown at 18 in Fig.

7 and in position as part of the wall in Fig. 6, may be used, thelongitudinal rib 21 engaging with the notches in the ends of the sidemembers of the regular blocks. Each course of the pier. thus formed isreinforced with concrete or similar binding material.

From the above description, taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, the numerous advantages incident to the improved buildingconstruction will be readily appreciated. It is to be noted that theblocks will form a very strong and stiff wall, the arrangement of thelug and groove binding the block with great security, and by means ofthe skeleton flanges hereinbefore described the walls may receiveadditional strength by being filled with concrete, cement, or likematerial. By means of a course of the same form of block laidimmediately under the joists of the floor and having the spacing filledwith concrete the load on the floor will be more uniformly and regularlydistributed, the concrete forming a suitable bearing for the embeddedanchor-pins of the joist.

While I have shown and herein described one particular embodiment of myinvention, it is of course to be understood that I do not limit myselftothe precise details of construction. shown herein, as theremay bemodifications and variations in certain respects without departing fromthe essential features of the invention or sacrificing any oftheadvantages thereof.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. A building construction, comprising a plurality ofbuilding-blocks, each block being substantially Lshapein cross-section,and

plurality of blocks, substantially L shape in cross-section, each blockhaving a longitudinal rib and an end flange, said end flange extendingslightly beyond the vertical plane of the end portion of the horizontalmember of the block, said end flange having grooves formed in. the topthereof, and a rib extending longitudinally of the horizontal member ofeach block, the construction being such that when one block is invertedand superposed upon an adjacent block the longitudinal ribs of theblocks are adapted .to interlock with the grooves of an adjacent block,substantially as set forth.

3. A buildingconstruction, comprising a plurality of building-blocks,each block having a groove and a rib, the rib of one block being adaptedto interlock with a groove of an adjacent block when one block issuperposed upon another, a portion of the surface of said block beingcut away to form a recess for a filling of 061116111301 similar bindingmaterial, substantially as set forth. 7

4. A building construction, comprising a. wall formed of a plurality ofbuilding-blocks,

' 5 each block being substantially L shape in cross-section and adaptedto be arranged relative to an adjoining block to form a. rectan gnlarblock, said blocks being recessed to form a passage-way for pipes andthe like,

and a. series of facing bricks or blocks for In said Well, substantiallyas set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing Witnesses.

FRANCIS'W. SPENCER.

Witnesses:

GEORGE E. BREWER, R. W. DENMAN.

